Libya: Successes and Challenges One Year After Qaddafi’s Death

Head of Libya's National Congress Mohammed Magarief speaks as Libya's Chief of Army staff Yusuf al-Mangoush (L) and Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagour (R) stand on either side of him during a news conference in Benghazi on September 22, 2012 (Asmaa Waguih/Courtesy Reuters).

Share

This weekend is the first anniversary of Muammar al-Qaddafi’s death. While Libyans have made important gains in holding elections and developing civil society, they are confronting the existential task of controlling the country’s militias. As I write today on CNN.com:

…Libya faces profound challenges, most notably the threat from armed militias that still control parts of the country. Some of those militias adhere to radical, jihadi ideologies. The terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi in which four Americans died, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, is a stark reminder of the danger posed by heavily armed militias and extremists. The government’s inability to bring these militias under state control has contributed to an environment of lawlessness.